> "These institutions would teach that if you ate a healthy breakfast you could be more productive at work. Of course, that would be an excellent selling featur

> "These institutions would teach that if you ate a healthy breakfast you could be more productive at work. Of course, that would be an excellent selling feature that would win over converts. Cereal companies would begin to pop up like weeds." Why not "These institutions taught that if you ate a healthy breakfast, you would be more productive at work. Of course, that was an excellent selling feature and won over converts. Cereal companies popped up like weeds." I understand the tense being used, I'm just puzzled why anyone would want to use it so much.